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Episode 1047 (27th January 1971)
Plot The Barlows finish packing. Val is saddened to be saying goodbye to their home. Len and Ray are sore over being taken in by Gina but, much to Billy's amusement, but are unable to bring themselves to fire her when she talks about her birthday and the present of some tights that Ray bought her. Albert checks at the Corner Shop but no one has answered his advert. He blames Lucille for the way that she phrased it. Mrs Toft also refuses to consider it once she finds out who it is for. Ena starts to think that Handel is good for Minnie when she stands up to her. Annie agrees to lay on a farewell party for the Barlows at no charge. Billy gives a delighted Ken £130 that he got for his car. Len and Ray come home for lunch and find Charlie Braddock eating his dinner there. He and Gina tell them that she's found a better job and is leaving. They dismiss her immediately and give her £7 severance. Ken takes a last nostalgic look at the street he was born on. Albert is furious that he's still had no replies and takes it out on Irma. He also refuses to go to the farewell party but is happy to look after the twins at No.1 for the night. Ena feels sorry for Albert and the loneliness he'll face once the Barlows have moved. Ken goes to the party alone while Val gets ready. Annie tells him she'll miss his intelligent conversation. Val tries to dry her hair next to an electric fire but it's taking too long. She unpacks a hairdryer but it isn't wired properly. The residents gather for the party and the food is put out. Ken rings Val to hurry her along. Unable to screw closed the plug on the hairdryer properly, she plugs it in anyway. She accidentally pulls the fire on its wire and, distracted, touches the live terminal on the open plug. She gasps as the current runs through her and pulls the fire into a packing case as she falls. Setting off for the party, Ray tells Len he's always fancied Val and will miss her. In the flat, the flames from the packing case start to grow higher. Cast Regular cast *Len Fairclough - Peter Adamson *Ray Langton - Neville Buswell *Minnie Caldwell - Margot Bryant *Annie Walker - Doris Speed *Billy Walker - Kenneth Farrington *Lucille Hewitt - Jennifer Moss *Hilda Ogden - Jean Alexander *Stan Ogden - Bernard Youens *Irma Barlow - Sandra Gough *Alan Howard - Alan Browning *Kenneth Barlow - William Roache *Valerie Barlow - Anne Reid *Albert Tatlock - Jack Howarth *Ena Sharples - Violet Carson *Betty Turpin - Betty Driver *Susan Barlow - Wendy Jane Walker *Peter Barlow - Christopher Dormer Guest cast *Gina Fletcher - Deirdre Costello *Handel Gartside - Harry Markham *Charlie Braddock - Peter Childs *Mrs Toft - Beatrice Neild Places *Coronation Street *Rovers Return Inn - Public/Snug *9 Coronation Street - Back room/kitchen and hallway *14 Coronation Street - Living room and kitchen *Corner Shop Notes *Final appearance of Anne Reid as Valerie Barlow. *Although ITV had begun full-colour transmissions on 15th November 1969, the ITV Colour Strike which began on 13th November 1970 caused this episode to be recorded in black and white. *Kathy Jones, who would play Tricia Hopkins from 1973 to 1976, appears as an extra in this episode as one of two girls who walk past Ken Barlow in the Street. *In a recording error, Albert Tatlock is seen walking through the kitchen of No.14 after he has supposedly departed from the maisonette. *''TV Times'' synopsis: Eve of the departure for the Barlows (Mum, Dad and the twins). *Viewing Figures: First UK broadcast - 8,300,000 homes (1st place). *This episode was included in the Network DVD collection Coronation Street: The Best of 1970-1979, released on 25th July 2005. Category:1971 episodes Category:Episodes released on DVD